Ron, it will be interesting to hear/read your friend’s response to all these questions/misgivings. I for one hope this proves to be do-able. I am also glad you have not despaired in this conversation – maybe we all have a pleasant surprise waiting for us on this.
Bruce
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I sort of agree here…more often than not, I believe the people who have reportedly done it this way are people who are doing it for a living, where time is money. I agree that doing it for the first time might require some persistence, but once a repeatable process was established, I can see that it could be more efficient.
At the company I work for, we manufacture large industrial gas turbines, and we have two types of engine build mechanics…the guys in the factory will tell you the only “right” way to build one is in the vertical orientation in a clean-room environment…then there’s the guys who routinely go out and rebuild them in the horizontal orientation, on a Nigerian oil rig, with a customer holding an inspection light over their shoulder.
If you tell the guys in the factory that someone just rebuilt the whole back end of a turbine in the horizontal orientation, they’ll look you right in the eye, and say “that’s not the right way to do it!”
So, who’s doing it “right”? Depends who you ask, I guess…but the customer’s are usually pretty happy when they can start pumping oil again.
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I’m not doubting he did what you say. I mean who would concoct such a story just for the fun of doing so. I just wish we had some pictures to look at.
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I can think of at least one person…
-David
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Yeah, well, I guess you’ve got me there. 
This doesn’t strike me as being that kind of story though.
Hi Gents,
As I understand it, the gearbox cannot move back far enough to be removed.
Why, is this because the propshaft slip joints not collapsing enough OR because of tunnel to tight and will not allow the box to move back far enough?
Regards
Chris
I would venture to say you are correct on both counts. However there has long been rumor of a works-developed collapsible driveshaft that permits this, but only one is rumored to exist and its actual use has yet to be documented satisfactorily. Look on the Dark Web, maybe?
Not that I will ever do a clutch in an E Type again, but…I tried this method: After dicking around for a full day…I determined it couldn’t be done, and just dropped it out the bottom.
If I rocked, and had some help, I could do the job in 8 hours (assuming the flywheel didnt need surfacing, and I did nothing else on the car).
I think that happened once, and I didnt do that again. There was always other things that needed attending to.
I dont doubt the OP, but…Id need pictures.
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I’m sorry if I conveyed the wrong opinion here. I would NEVER attempt this on my own and the mechanic who did is a professional with lifts and service pits at his disposal. The price has got to be attractive vs removing the bonnet, etc. plus, I would rather have to touch up the rail paint vs having something happen to the bonnet while it was off. I’ll let you all know as soon as I hear back how far the engine was moved.
It’s the tunnel that limits rearward movement on a SWB car. It would appear that movement would be very small - so most of the needed gap would have to come from that space opened up by removing the water pump.
I’ve never understood the reluctance to remove the bonnet. I can do the job by myself in about 15 minutes, including jacking up the front end enough to allow the bonnet to pivot to 90 deg. before removing the pivot bolts. The first time that you remove the bonnet, it may take 20-30 minutes, but like most jobs, once you’ve done it one time and know what to do, it’s a very easy job. If it’s going to be off for an extended time, it can be protected with a car cover or some such padding.
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I never removed bonnets, disconnected the t-bars, nor the console, when doing clutches.
That said, I cannot figure out how it’s done, in the way currently under discussion.
‘I’ve never understood the reluctance to remove the bonnet. I can do the job by myself in about 15 minutes, including jacking up the front end enough to allow the bonnet to pivot to 90 deg. before removing the pivot bolts.’
Me neither. I must’ve done it a dozen times just by myself while I was trial fitting the bonnet after I’d rebuilt it although the job is much easier with a helper. You don’t even need to jack the front because the bonnet is almost balanced and when it’s tipped forward (onto the overriders on a piece of carpet), it becomes quite stable and easily held and “walked” away.
The first job I ever did on an E-Type was a clutch replacement, about 40 years ago. A friend and I did it by removing the bonnet and pulling the whole lump out the top, no need to mess about removing the manifolds etc. just leave everything on. It wasn’t particularly difficult.
I’ve done several complete auto restorations and a total nut and bolt on a 3.8 E-Type and I seriously doubt these claims where a SWB E-Type clutch can be replaced without removing the engine. So let’s see some pictures!
What would really be nice is, if one of these mechanics would make a very detailed step by step video and provide it on a DVD. I would buy one. Only for a short wheel base car though.
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So to be clear the waterpump is removed, exhaust disconnected, interior stripped torsion bar rp removed, box and engine split, choke and carb linkage disconnected, water, heater and servo lines pulled and gearbox pushed back(?) after disconnecting prop. Engine mounts removed and the engine slide forward and this movement is sufficient to allow the clutch assembly to be undone and clear the first motion shaft.
I have seen and assisted in the removal and refitting of engine and gearbox combined, with the torsion bar rp still fitted, but clutch changes in situ, without butchery, are a new one on me,
Still everyday is a school day.
with all the crap reality TV, this sounds like an interesting pitch…someones suitable XKE will be needing a clutch change in the future
Mechanics challenge; no butchery or damage, X number of hours allowed, owner gets job done free, surely there are a lot of mechanics want their 15min of fame!..might be good for some laughs too
I’d watch it…come on all you budding TV producers on here!
You can replace the clutch pedal without removing the engine. It works on OTS, FHC and LWB models. I have no pictures. If you don’t believe me, I shall pout.
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Wait!!! I’ll reply as soon as I catch my breath over laughing at Liam’s response!!! What a hoot!!! You must quit your day job and go on television. Then we could just turn you off…
Sorry, my mechanic lost the guy who did my car. He moved to Florida, so we may never know just how he did it, but I remembered at the time that I was told you only have to move the engine forward an inch or two to get the final top three bell housing bolts out. Then, I assumed it was a combination of dropping the rear of the engine while supporting the gearbox to move it out and back.
I have another area that calls for some real investigation and modification. We are all stuck with Ethanol in the gas we purchase from the local service station. With that, we will have rubber diaphragms wearing out prematurely in the carbs and the fuel pump. I would think there would be a method of replacing the rubber with a very thin spring steel disc to provide the jet movement. Also, I assume everyone on this blog is SOOOOO brilliant you have already gotten rid of your brass carb floats and replaced them with Buna floats.
Ron Brook
I put in new diapfrrrrragams, from Joe Curto, back in 2003. They were in fine fettle when it went off to Suisse, and never an issue.
My Rover—same carbs, same Tygon tubing front to fuel pump and carbs—have not been touched in at least 14 years, runs on E10, also no issues.
That’s not to say others don’t/haven’t had issues, just a couple data points.
Iron Mechanic, 8:30 PM ET Thursdays.